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Even though it is named for the Lumber River,
the Lumber River Basin is actually four dis tinct
river systems that include the Lumber River,
the Waccamaw River, the headwaters of the
Little Pee Dee River and a system of small
coastal rivers that empty into the Atlantic.
The Lumber River is one of the state’s four Nat -
ural and Scenic Rivers, and an 81- mile portion
of the river is designated a National Wild and
Scenic River. In bestowing the fed eral designa -
tion, the National Park Service determined
the Lumber River has “ outstand ingly remark -
able” resources, which include recreation, fish,
wildlife, scenery and botany. The wildness
of the Lumber and Waccamaw rivers draws
canoe ists and other paddlers by the thousands.
The Waccamaw River flows from Lake Wacca -
maw, the most biologically diverse lake in North
Carolina and one of the most species- rich lakes
in the Western hemi sphere. It has 52 fish spe -
cies, 11 species of snails and 15 species of mus -
sels and clams, many of them rare and endemic
to the lake, meaning they have been found nowhere else on earth. The
Waccamaw’s watershed also includes a large portion of the Green Swamp.
In wet savannas of this swamp, scientists have recorded the highest
density of small- scale plant diversity in North America — more than
40 species in a single square meter. Some of these intriguing plants
include insect- eaters such as flytraps, pitcher plants and sundews,
plus an array of orchids.
T he Lumber River Basin is a rich ecological expanse of flat land, gently rolling hills
and swamp waters. Part Sandhills but mostly Coastal Plain, the basin is a flatwater
paddler’s dream and a naturalist’s wonderland.
Lumber River,
Robeson County
Total miles of
streams and rivers:
2,233
Total acres of lakes:
8,966
Total acres of
estuary: 4,306
Municipalities
within basin: 51
Counties
within basin: 9
Size: 3,336
square miles
Population:
304,579
( 2000 U. S. Census)
profile:
KEN TAYLOR, NCWRC
MELISSA MCGAW, NCWRC
LUMBERRIVER
BASIN
Biodiversity
Biodiversity refers to
all of the organisms
( plants, animals, fungi,
bacteria, etc.) and
ecosystems that can
be found in a region.
A high level of biodiver -
sity indicates that nat -
ural systems are in
balance and that the
environment is healthy.
We depend on biodi -
ver sity for many natural
goods and services,
such as the pollination
of crops and wild plants,
the cycling of air and
water, the regeneration
of soil and the devel op -
ment of new foods and
medicines.

Even though it is named for the Lumber River,
the Lumber River Basin is actually four dis tinct
river systems that include the Lumber River,
the Waccamaw River, the headwaters of the
Little Pee Dee River and a system of small
coastal rivers that empty into the Atlantic.
The Lumber River is one of the state’s four Nat -
ural and Scenic Rivers, and an 81- mile portion
of the river is designated a National Wild and
Scenic River. In bestowing the fed eral designa -
tion, the National Park Service determined
the Lumber River has “ outstand ingly remark -
able” resources, which include recreation, fish,
wildlife, scenery and botany. The wildness
of the Lumber and Waccamaw rivers draws
canoe ists and other paddlers by the thousands.
The Waccamaw River flows from Lake Wacca -
maw, the most biologically diverse lake in North
Carolina and one of the most species- rich lakes
in the Western hemi sphere. It has 52 fish spe -
cies, 11 species of snails and 15 species of mus -
sels and clams, many of them rare and endemic
to the lake, meaning they have been found nowhere else on earth. The
Waccamaw’s watershed also includes a large portion of the Green Swamp.
In wet savannas of this swamp, scientists have recorded the highest
density of small- scale plant diversity in North America — more than
40 species in a single square meter. Some of these intriguing plants
include insect- eaters such as flytraps, pitcher plants and sundews,
plus an array of orchids.
T he Lumber River Basin is a rich ecological expanse of flat land, gently rolling hills
and swamp waters. Part Sandhills but mostly Coastal Plain, the basin is a flatwater
paddler’s dream and a naturalist’s wonderland.
Lumber River,
Robeson County
Total miles of
streams and rivers:
2,233
Total acres of lakes:
8,966
Total acres of
estuary: 4,306
Municipalities
within basin: 51
Counties
within basin: 9
Size: 3,336
square miles
Population:
304,579
( 2000 U. S. Census)
profile:
KEN TAYLOR, NCWRC
MELISSA MCGAW, NCWRC
LUMBERRIVER
BASIN
Biodiversity
Biodiversity refers to
all of the organisms
( plants, animals, fungi,
bacteria, etc.) and
ecosystems that can
be found in a region.
A high level of biodiver -
sity indicates that nat -
ural systems are in
balance and that the
environment is healthy.
We depend on biodi -
ver sity for many natural
goods and services,
such as the pollination
of crops and wild plants,
the cycling of air and
water, the regeneration
of soil and the devel op -
ment of new foods and
medicines.